Are any of you employERS? If you were, you'd understand Jerry's position on Dan.

[BulletBob]

For one moment, look at this thing from a pure business perspective. I know it is difficult, and I know that Jerry has made some incredibly unproductive decisions over his tenure.

But this Dan Reeves thing? Come on.

I own a consulting firm. I have been in the consulting business for over 15 years. You do NOT EVER write/sign a contract with a consultant without specifying how many hours that consultant is going to work for you. It is simply not done.

Think about it. Would you lay out MILLIONS of dollars of your own money for a consultant without ANY guarantee that the consultant would be onsite working for a minimum amount of hours per week?

It has nothing to do with "punching a time clock." It has to do with contractually making sure you get what you pay for.

Think about a scenario in which you are applying for a new job. You do well in the interview, and the salary negotiations start. The negotiations end with you making the following assertion, "Sure, $1.5 million a year should cover it, but one last thing - I can't sign up to this 40-hours-a-week-thing. In fact, I'm not willing to guarantee that I'll be in the office for any number of hours a week. I need a flexible schedule. But trust me, you'll get tremendous value for the salary you pay me." How do you think that interview would end?

Dan may have promised up and down that he would get the job done. That's great, but from a contract perspective you have got to back it up. You've got to commit to a certain number of hours in order to get paid.

You can vent all you want about stupid decisions from Jerry which are killing this team, but in this case, Jerry was not the one being unreasonable. Any business would be committing suicide by signing contracts with consultants that contain no hours clauses.

By the way, if any of you would like to sign a contract :write:for one of my consultants where you pay us a certain amount per year, and we do not have to guarantee how many hours we will put in on the project, please PM me. I'd be ecstatic to accommodate your request.

:wink2:

 

[Alexander]

The thing about this is that it was probably a trust issue.

Here is where I have a question.

Reeves has done this before in Houston. He is not new to being a consultant for an NFL franchise.

Reeves sounded completely disarmed that his integrity was questioned. That then draws you to the conclusion that Bob McNair did not get down to that level of specifics about exactly how many hours he spent when he was doing the same thing in Houston.

Perhaps he was not prepared for a hardcore business approach from Jerry Jones and as he says, he views contracts as more of a handshake than anything else. He's a person of integrity and I believe that's just the way he is and any implication otherwise damaged the trust factor.

 

[Iago33]

I get your point. But doesn't he have some built-in respect?

 

[WoodysGirl]

I get your point. But doesn't he have some built-in respect?

Jerry didn't get to where he is just cuz he respected people. You can respect someone's knowledge all day long, but when it comes to business, it never hurts to get stuff in writing.

 

[brickman]

I own my own company, so I know where you are coming from. BUT ... the one thing I have to ask is does anyone else have to punch a clock (and have it put in their contract)? I highly doubt it!!!!!!!! Funny how Jerry all of sudden is going to hold people accountable.

 

[NextGenBoys]

Jerry didn't get to where he is just cuz he respected people. You can respect someone's knowledge all day long, but when it comes to business, it never hurts to get stuff in writing.

Football coaches aren't oil rigs.

 

[big dog cowboy]

Funny how Jerry all of sudden is going to hold people accountable.

Jerry is going to start making people accountable?

Stop the presses!

 

[Royal Laegotti]

For one moment, look at this thing from a pure business perspective. I know it is difficult, and I know that Jerry has made some incredibly unproductive decisions over his tenure.

But this Dan Reeves thing? Come on.

I own a consulting firm. I have been in the consulting business for over 15 years. You do NOT EVER write/sign a contract with a consultant without specifying how many hours that consultant is going to work for you. It is simply not done.

Think about it. Would you lay out MILLIONS of dollars of your own money for a consultant without ANY guarantee that the consultant would be onsite working for a minimum amount of hours per week?

It has nothing to do with "punching a time clock." It has to do with contractually making sure you get what you pay for.

Think about a scenario in which you are applying for a new job. You do well in the interview, and the salary negotiations start. The negotiations end with you making the following assertion, "Sure, $1.5 million a year should cover it, but one last thing - I can't sign up to this 40-hours-a-week-thing. In fact, I'm not willing to guarantee that I'll be in the office for any number of hours a week. I need a flexible schedule. But trust me, you'll get tremendous value for the salary you pay me." How do you think that interview would end?

Dan may have promised up and down that he would get the job done. That's great, but from a contract perspective you have got to back it up. You've got to commit to a certain number of hours in order to get paid.

You can vent all you want about stupid decisions from Jerry which are killing this team, but in this case, Jerry was not the one being unreasonable. Any business would be committing suicide by signing contracts with consultants that contain no hours clauses.

By the way, if any of you would like to sign a contract :write:for one of my consultants where you pay us a certain amount per year, and we do not have to guarantee how many hours we will put in on the project, please PM me. I'd be ecstatic to accommodate your request.

:wink2:

He pays alot of these worthless players alot more for alot less! Jerry's just Jerry, he's the king and doesn't want any challenges to his power, plain and simple. I don't care what BS he spews on the radio "setting the record straight"!

 

[Muhast]

I own my own company, so I know where you are coming from. BUT ... the one thing I have to ask is does anyone else have to punch a clock (and have it put in their contract)? I highly doubt it!!!!!!!! Funny how Jerry all of sudden is going to hold people accountable.

I hope this is a change we see in Jerry. We need our coaches to be accountable, and i mean more than just acknowledging stuff AFTER the game. We need Wade to be accountable for everything, all the time. We need Romo to be accountable on the field, we need Roy williams to be accountable for running better routes, T.O to catch big passes, etc.

We NEED that. If this is where it had to start, then great. I have my doubts we will see huge change, but Im definitely open to it.

 

[superonyx]

Jerry needs Reeves more than Reeves needs Jerry.

The problem is you have a very well respected and very proud man in Dan Reeves that believes he has earned enough respect to not have his work ethic or integrity questioned.

Taking money and not working for it is as bad as stealing. Jerry made the mistake of trying to play a power trip on Reeves. I have owned enough businesses to understand the whole get it in writing attitude. However, their are exceptions to that rule. Sometimes you need a talent enough to let them feel respected.

Do you think Bill Parcells has a time clock in Miami?

This is professional sports. This isnt like some normal job. As much as we all want to think our jobs are not much different than theirs. its simply not true.

Jerry should have taken the clause out when Reeves made it known that he was not comfortable with it.
Reeves just turned down a OC job in SF to take this position. i doubt is was just looking for a paycheck.

 

[FLCowboyFan]

Jerry didn't get to where he is just cuz he respected people. You can respect someone's knowledge all day long, but when it comes to business, it never hurts to get stuff in writing.

But as a business person, we modify terms for talent we really want. You don't let a deal fall through for language....there were other ways to word it that would have resulted in both feeling better about it. For instance, it could have been a multi-year contract that had to be agreed up each year by both parties. Then if Dan wasn't putting in the time, you simply cut him. Business is not black and white

 

[zrinkill]

I understand it ...... but I would not treat Dan Reeves like that.


I do not think Jerry ever really wanted him here ...... he does not lose people he really wants to keep.

 

[WoodysGirl]

But as a business person, we modify terms for talent we really want. You don't let a deal fall through for language....there were other ways to word it that would have resulted in both feeling better about it.

Sounds like they could've worded it a 100 different ways and it wouldn't have matter one bit, if the overall concept wasn't acceptable.

For instance, it could have been a multi-year contract that had to be agreed up each year by both parties. Then if Dan wasn't putting in the time, you simply cut him. Business is not black and white

Of course not, but then if both parties are willing to let a deal fall apart due to language, then I don't see why only one side should get all the heat.

Take the emotion out of it all and see it for what it is, a failed business transaction.

 

[JohnnyHopkins]

Take the emotion out of it all and see it for what it is, a failed business transaction.

That sums up last season on so many levels.

 

[wileedog]

It has nothing to do with "punching a time clock." It has to do with contractually making sure you get what you pay for.

This isn't some Joe Schmoe Jones found on CareerBuilder.com. Its a coach who has gone to the Superbowl 4 times. You can't count on one hand the number of people in the world who have done that.

I'm pretty sure he didn't get there by slipping out the door at 4:30 or taking 2 hour lunches. And even if he did, so what? He got results, which is ultimately what you are paying for, not hours.

Football has nothing to do with your business.

 

[rcaldw]

I don't agree with you at all. There is business as it is USUALLY conducted, and then there are those rare situations where you do things a little different. Dan Reeves has a clear track record. Dan Reeves STARTED WORKING BEFORE HE HAD THE CONTRACT, should tell you everything you needed to know.

This was Jerry insulting the man, plain and simple, and he probably did it on purpose because he didn't really want to do the thing in the first place.

 

[notherbob]

Regardless of the rhetoric it all boils down to the simple fact that true mutual trust had not been achieved between them. They apparently thought they had a verbal agreement that was mutually accepted but when it came to writing it down, Jones basic mistrust caused him to insist on terms that Reeves disagreed with because it showed mistrust and neither would budge because they stood on principle.

I think that is why Reeves said he would accept it in 5 minutes if Jones would relent on the issue. Jones relenting would imply trust and that's what Reeves wanted to see. Jones said publicly he wouldn't relent, meaning he still does not trust Reeves and that's why Reeves seems so down over it. I think it's a matter of trust.

It's hard to work closely with someone if mutual trust doesn't exist.

 

[fanfromvirginia]

I'm pretty sure he didn't get there by slipping out the door at 4:30 or taking 2 hour lunches. And even if he did, so what? He got results, which is ultimately what you are paying for, not hours.

Very well said.

 

[Sandyf]

If you believe this was just about hours then you have to be the most gullible person in the world. It is about power and final say which Jerry will never give up.

Consultants all the time work without guaranteed hours but they do have to be accountable for their hours. I have done this numerous times and sometimes the hours are specified, some are dealt in minimum time, some in maxium time, but the most part is accountability for the hours worked and the performance. Something obvisiously the Cowboys haven't had to do.

Pure and simple, Jerry didn't want to give up any control, period. Reeves track record shows he puts in the work, any employer would see that and that they were not hiring blind. It is on Jerry in total. Anything else is just making more excuses.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

Dan said he hated the term "consultant" and was going to have a coaching role. He wasn't just going to call in from Georgia a couple hours a week and then go cash Jerry's checks.

I can't imagine anyone would think Dan Reeves would do that, and I have no doubt Jerry never did. He just sabotaged this thing because he didn't really want him here.